


Meraki

by Taesblues



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alchemist Jeon Jungkook, Alternate universe - full metal alchemist brotherhood, Angst, Colonel Jeon Jungkook, Everyone Loves Kim Seokjin | Jin, F/M, Forbidden Love, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Summaries, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Jeon Jungkook is a Little Shit, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope is a Sweetheart, Kim Namjoon | RM is Whipped, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin are Best Friends, Lieutenant Kim Taehyung, M/M, Military, No Smut, Park Jimin (BTS) is a Tease, Politics, Secret Relationship, Sniper Kim Taehyung, aged-down characters, i am winging this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:46:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23931775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taesblues/pseuds/Taesblues
Summary: Sometimes, dreams don’t come true even if we choose the right path to achieve them.Jungkook joins the military to protect the people and the country, but ends up killing the innocent with the power he vowed to use wisely.
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Original Female Character(s), Kim Namjoon | RM/Park Jimin
Kudos: 3





	1. A Boy’s Dream

**Author's Note:**

> the events of the story are inspired by the manga and brotherhood anime, not the 2003 version.  
> The underage warning is because when they meet, Jungkook is 17 and Taehyung is 15, but nothing happens between them until later. 
> 
> List of the characters the members are inspired by:  
> Jk: Roy Mustang  
> Tae: Riza Hawkeye  
> Hoseok: Maes Hughes  
> Yoongi: Kain Fuery  
> Namjoon: Jean Havoc  
> Seokjin: Alex Louis Armstrong  
> Jimin: original character

Dogs of the military. It's what they're known as among the general public, just a softer way of saying they're eternal slaves. Hushed whispers crowd their way in the streets, some wary and some appreciative, all just as oblivious and equally as accurate to the life an officer leads.

What remains that the people are not aware of is that the soldiers' slave status isn't exclusive to the system; it extends further to their personal life. A person doesn't choose such a path willingly after all. Slaves to circumstance is where they start, miserable and futureless, watching everyone grow into their own person, leaving them behind with no other choice but to devote themselves to the country. Circumstance is cruel, enslaves in many shapes and forms, forces young people into a path of crushed youth. Unemployed failures and taboo committers with ambitions alike, uniforms on and postures sharp, shells of the people they were before circumstance decided it was time.

Once the brief decision phase and enrollment process is over, an officer seeks escape by climbing up the levels of the military system. Enslavement means sacrifice after all. The idea of trading normal life for glory and fame is comforting for some. That is, until they delve into the secrets of the government and realize that power is useless in face of a higher secluded power, preserved for certain chosen people. It is then that most start wondering: is the Führer happy anyways? Is the Führer free? 

For those who don’t die in down the line of the job, blue doesn't leave after retirement, traces of golden stars etched into the skin of their shoulders. Calls from the seniors clog the Amestrisian military phone lines whenever the smallest uproar occurs, offering their services or once again. Never able to get away even after retirement, trapped in a cycle of self destruction, addiction to pride and battle frying away their rattling bones. Vicious and unforgiving, the path eventually leads to guilt capable of eating the toughest of men alive, still slaves after all.

Jungkook takes pride in it, being a dog of the military. His narcissistic nature plays a role in it. It drives him crazy, Hero of the Ishval war. Colonel before 30. Flame alchemist. All titles of his and all very much looked up upon by all soldiers, superiors and subordinates alike. All he’d redeemed their tragic meanings to strengthen his resolve.

He strolls the familiar halls of the Eastern headquarters as colonel Jeon Jungkook, uniform straight and proper, a stark contrast to his rowdy personality, a reputation he'd managed to acquire, now tamed down a little after countless years spent researching and fighting at the war front. He walks shadowing a fierce Kim Taehyung, but not quite. 

Lieutenant Kim Taehyung and Colonel Jeon Jungkook, two names that are said together, none an afterthought to the other, always on the same level if not for the titles preceding their surnames, and Jungkook takes pride in that as much as he takes pride in his occupation.

It hadn't been always as satisfactory to him as it is now, eyes sharpened by the memory of murder and melancholy buried deep inside underneath layers upon layers of excuses and reassurance that it's all for the country. 

He'd taken to the system quite quickly after he was hired, having joined just in time to witness a tremendous war. It left him no choice but to plunge himself straight into battle, no time to ponder about how this is not what he imagined he would be doing to help the country. 

It had all come to a halting realization when he'd stood with Hoseok and looked up to the Führer after months of continuous anguish in Ishval. A childhood dream he'd forcefully buried amidst the flames and ashes of the war resurfaced, hitting him strong and unforgiving, and before he could manage to keep his thoughts in check, words roll over his tongue without permission.

"I will rise to the top. I will fix this. I definitely will.”

See, the power system in the Amestrisian military is one deep rooted into the origins of the country. Colonels, lieutenants, generals, and majors serve the Führer, who in turn serves the people, who also do serve the military and the Führer. It's another vicious cycle, one among many others.

Jungkook recalls it all too clearly, words falling onto his ears while he was milking the remnants of chalk from an almost used up chalk stick. "Society is like that too, you know," master Kim says, and jungkook is prompted to look at the two overlapping circles his master was alluding to, part of a bigger transmutation circle that is incomplete save for them. "Just a bunch of connected cycles. Systems, they might call them, or whatever fancy word the government decides to come up with. Still doesn't change the fact that it's all connected." 

The master seems to know what jungkook is thinking, so he continues "Alchemy is just like that too, don't you think? Connected circles that come together and boom." He makes an explosion gesture with his hands. "Alchemy."

"You think some philosophical words are going to stop me from applying for the state alchemist position?" Jungkook questions, raising an eyebrow at the old man.

He lets out a sigh and continues, showing no signs of having heard his student speak at all. "Alchemy is society. Society is the individual, meaning that you cannot escape society no matter what once you walk this path. It just disappoints me that someone as talented as you would resort to serving a bunch of scumbags who just don't fucking care." 

Jungkook pays him no heed, going back to his piece of chalk. 

It is a night that week that he finds himself standing at the edge of the old man's bed, uniform blue and jarring in the dim light of the room begging to be taught the principles of flame alchemy. He feels the condescending

look burn at him even through the exhaustion apparent on the old man. 

"Sir I mastered everything else you asked me to. This is the only thing left." 

"Now that I know what you're planning to use it for, I decided you are not worthy." His tone leaves no chance for argument. 

"The country is constantly at war. We are surrounded by enemies from all sides. The military needs more alchemists. It's a matter of protecting people and homes." 

"I'm tired of hearing-" a cough interrupts his response, echoing through the cracks in the walls of the room. The bed gives a disturbing creak with the force of it, wood as frail as its owner’s bones. 

Jungkook looks at his surroundings. "It saddens me, you know," he says, "seeing you in this state. If you join the military, you'll be able to be recognized for your research-" 

"Jungkook I created the most powerful alchemy. If it falls in the wrong hands-" a cough interrupts him once again, followed by a splurge of blood. He tumbles to the ground with the force of it and Jungkook rushes to hold him up with a shout of his name. 

The last words Jungkook hears him utter through heavy breaths are "please take care of my son."

The sky is a canvas of orange and red hues when Jungkook finds himself standing at his master's grave with Kim Taehyung. 

"I know you might think this is silly," He fishes his card from his coat pocket "but please contact me if you need anything." He extends it, letting it hang in the space that separates them. 

When Taehyung doesn't reply, he panics, scratching the back of head with his free hand as he continues. "Well, uh, you don't have to. You probably feel the same way as he does about my job. I- huh?" 

His rant is intercepted by the feeling of Taehyung's hand grabbing the card. "You're rambling," he lets out a small laugh, eyes soft with a grief tarnished boyish glint when he looks at Jungkook. "There’s nothing silly about caring. I'll call you if I need anything, kook."

Jungkook leaves with a smile and a nod, willing himself not to steal a glance back. Instead, he hopes this won't be the last time they get to see the boy, now overwhelmed with the need to meet the boy under better conditions. 

Having his dream acknowledged, Jungkook learns, feels really good, even if it comes in the form of accepting a simple business card. 

——————-

When he receives a call from none other than Kim Taehyung a few months later, Jungkook doesn't think much of it.

Now though, a student at the academy, he doesn't get the luxury of sorting his matters privately. 

The receptionist approached them an hour ago to inform them about the call, which Jungkook brushed off. Hoseok, however, hasn't dropped the topic ever since. 

"Ooohhh, who is it? Hmm?" Hoseok raises his eyebrows at him, dragging his syllables a bit courtesy of the alcohol in his system.

It's a weekend night. They sit at the bar of the crumbling pub at the edge of the academy grounds, old and dingy but serves its purpose. Cheap, too. The place is full of aspiring officers, all different stages of drunk. 

It's not that they have no other, better, way to spend their weekend, but the commanders and higher officials hog the place on weekdays. It's an unspoken rule. Jungkook stares at his drink that rests on the table and downs it at once, not knowing when he'd get another chance to feel the lightheadedness of the alcohol buzzing through him. 

"Eh, probably nothing special. Don't worry about it," he replies, still grimacing at the sudden rush of bitterness on his tongue. 

"It's just that you never receive calls. I thought you found someone special." He elbows Jungkook in the stomach and it makes him feel even more nauseous, seeming to have just realized the weight of what he's implying. "Who is it? Tell me, please! Is our Jungkookie in love? Huh? Ooooh, you seem like that possessive type who never speaks about his lover. Ah, is that it?" 

Jungkook grabs his forehead. "Oh god Hoseok, shut up. I'm still single as fuck. I don't even know who the fuck is calling me at this hour." He lets out a sigh and pours himself another drink. "I'll call back in the morning. It's weekend. Let's have fun" 

Hoseok pretends not to hear what he said, clinking his glass with Jungkook's raised one and waxing poetry about his girlfriend and maybe something about double dates Jungkook chooses to ignore. The only thing that ultimately brings his rant to a halt is a sudden interception from Jungkook.

"- and were gonna have cute kids! You know i want our first child to be a daughter and she wants a son but I'm happy with-" 

"Hyung, I think I'm gonna be sick." 

"-anything honestly I just wanna spend my-" He stops to register what he heard, face gradually contorting in shock as he lets out a shriek. "What? Oh my god trashcan, quick. Fuck. Ew, oh my god. I'm not mopping the floor again after you. Fuck you, no. Here, you dumbass, not on the fucking floor. I'm fucking pissing on your uniform if you get any of it on the floor. Wait is that a drop on the-"

When Jungkook wakes up to find himself in his cot with a terrible hangover and Hoseok sprawled next to him, the pendant around his neck catching the sunlight and reflecting the rays directly into his eyes, it is only a matter of connecting the dots as the events of last night swarm his memories.

He gets ready as he usually does, waking Hoseok up in the process, who grumbles something about the time but still gets up when Jungkook doesn't answer. They get dressed in comfortable silence and Hoseok, after taking a look at the time, decides that there is enough time to check his mailbox. 

Jungkook watches as Hoseok's smile grow wider when he opens the mailbox to find a new letter, wide and sincere. It is undeniable that he envies their love sometimes. He wishes he had something that he looks forward to every morning, something that drives him forward. A motive. 

He pushes it down and continues to get dressed, but stops when he sees Hoseok pocket the piece of paper in the corner of his eye. It is so unlike him, always excited to read and write back just as quickly. "Is there something wrong?"

"I just can't stop thinking about that phonecall.” 

"Ugh, drop it man. I told you it's probably nothing." He brushes him off, not ready to have this conversation when he's running on 3 hours of sleep. 

"You never know. It might be something important, Kook." 

"If it bothers you enough to not read the letter immediately, I guess it might be quite important," he says jokingly. 

"Promise me you'll go check it out later." He tucks his gun in his belt and sets to get up. 

"Yeah alright."

After some more nagging, Jungkook finds himself in the public phone line office after the workday is over. He asks the employee about the call and she is kind enough to guide him through the process of making a phone call, and with having not done this before, it might be quick a hassle without some help.

When it's all sorted out, a few rings echo through his ear and then he's hearing the deepest, most calming voice. 

"Hello? Uh, is this Jeon Jungkook?" 

"Yes. Who am I speaking to?" 

"It's Kim Taehyung." 

Oh.

Jungkook rushes out of the office with a goal, walking in wide strides as he tunes out Hoseok's questions. 

"Hoseok, prepare yourself. We’re sneaking out.”

"Wait what?" He says, confused and trying to catch his breath. 

1 A.M finds them jumping over the barbed fence of the residence area of the academy.

"So we're meeting this guy with daddy issues that you only met once in your life in front of a grave?" Hoseok tries to recollect what he understood from Jungkook's story. 

"Yeah pretty much." 

"Are you out of your fucking mind? We could literally get expelled for this shit. And he didn't even tell you what we're meeting him for? You're fucking crazy, man." 

"Expelled? How’s that gonna happen if they don’t find out" Jungkook reasons as they run through the edge of the forest the house is located near. 

The house is just like Jungkook remembers it, old and on the brink of destruction. The only sign that someone lives there being the small flower bed on the right side of the house where he used to train.

He assumes from the outer appearance of the house that Taehyung hasn't fixed the doorbell either, so he foregoes that and decides to knock instead. 

"He's not gonna answer. It doesn't look like anyone lives here anyways," Hoseok grumbles. "Why didn't he just say what he wants on the phone? There's something fishy here."

"Exactly. It's something he couldn't say on the military line. Remember he's my master's son. He could have some important information." 

He knocks again, louder. 

"Oh!" They see a head peak from behind the house, lantern raised for a better vision. "Sorry I was at the back. I couldn't hear you guys." 

He looks the same as Jungkook remembers him, sharp symmetrical features adorned by a bit of a playful vibe, friendly even, he'd dare to call it. He comes closer, though, and all Jungkook could see is hopelessness. The bags under his eyes are more prominent than he recalls, surrounding deep brown eyes red-rimmed and unfocused. 

They are ushered inside and all Jungkook can think about is how he promised to look after this boy.

"I couldn't say this over the public phone line. I didn't want this to get out to anyone else." Hoseok and Jungkook share a knowing look and Jungkook nods at Taehyung to continue. 

"The fire alchemy research." The words settle heavy between the three of them, uncharted territory, a topic Jungkook was never allowed to breach.

When Jungkook gulps audibly at his words, anticipation overtaking his senses, Taehyung confesses, " the results are with me." 

With the bomb Taehyung dropped, Jungkook suddenly understands his master's request. It surprised him in the first place, the master caring enough to ask him to look after his son. It was obvious that his son's wellbeing was never a priority of his, always holed up in his research. He didn’t question it, though. People growing to their senses just before they run out of time wasn't something he was unfamiliar with.

"Let me take a look," he manages after a while. "If that's ok." 

"He," taehyung stops to take a breath. "It'stattooed on my back."

As soon as the words reach their ears, Jungkook and Hoseok flinch visibly as a gasp of shock runs through their features. 

Jungkook cannot imagine what the boy went through, having to tolerate being weaponized forever for the sake of such a destructive research. Rage floods his veins, not knowing how to react to a revelation as devastating as this one. Taehyung was never interested in alchemy. He knows this much because he never participated in alchemy practice with him. He can't even make use of the only remnants left by his father, a burden he has to carry all throughout his life and a small cottage in the middle of nowhere.

He concludes that this is why he never moved out. He has to carry the secret wherever he goes and if this ever gets out, a race of money and honor hungry rich men will unleash, struggling go unravel the research before another person gets the credit for it, completely objectifying Taehyung for their desires.

An hour later, Taehyung is lying on his stomach with Jungkook and Hoseok hovering over him, copying whatever is on his back onto scraps of old books they found in the old man's attic.

Jungkook looks up from his paper to copy another part of the tattoo, and it takes him by surprise once again. Every glance in the direction of Teahyung's back serves as a reminder of tragedy, hitting him harder the more he stares at it. The tattoo is huge. It takes up the whole expanse of the boy's back, extending as high as the soft hair on his nape and taking up the space between his wide shoulders. The ink curves over the taut, defined muscles of his lower back, right above the dimples of his ass, forming two intertwined circles and what looks like a salamander near the protruding bones underneath his right shoulder blade. The rest is written in coded symbols that they copy blindly, waiting for them to decode. 

"This is goin' t' be a bitch to figure out," Hoseok says around a cigarette. "And a bitch t' hide, too.”

"I think we will have enough resources once we become qualified for the state alchemist position. Until then, we'll just do what we can."

They speak of him like he doesn’t exist, and Jungkook immediately cringes at the treatment they’re giving him, completely objectifying and down-right humiliating. He wants to stutter a sorry, but deems it more appropriate to just let the silence extend, acting on the apology rather than speaking.

"You guys can hide it by saying it's letters from family." Taehyung chips in, feeling how tense Jungkook is. 

"Un yes. Hoseok, If anyone asks, these are letters from your girl." 

"Alright I got you." He winks at him, and Taehyung laughs quietly, his back shaking.

“Stop, you’re moving.” Hoseok complains, and it starts a chain of bickering between the two.

"I hope this isn't a bother," Taehyung says suddenly after a while. 

"No man, I told you to call if you needed anything, didn't I?" He says as he glares at Hoseok who side eyes him.

As soon as they're done, they begin stuffing the papers into their clothes, shoving them anywhere out of everyone's sight. Turns out Taehyung is an expert at this, tightly rolling the papers and hiding them in Hoseok's cigarette packet and folding them into tiny squares to tuck between the sole and sleeve of their shoes. "The rest you guys can just stuff in your underwear or whatever." He gets up to dust his pants and Jungkook catches a glimpse of something glistening in the corner of his eye when he turns around to give the man some privacy to put his shirt on.

Hoseok and Taehyung exchange their goodbyes and Jungkook just nods dumbly, Thoroughly astonished and weirdly amused. Hoseok has to physically pull him away when the awkward silence extends, and he hurriedly blurts out a call me if you need anything else. 

"Jungkookie," It is clear from his tone that Hoseok is teasing him, and he would rather be buried alive than hearing it. 

"Just shut up. I know what you're gonna say," he says as he takes bigger steps, indicating that he wants the conversation dropped. 

Hoseok doesn't take the hint, though, catching up to prod at his best friend even more. "I didn't know you were into such things, Jungkookie. Hmm, but I'm surprised too. He didn't seem like the type." 

"We literally know nothing about him, Seok."

"Yeah alright l'll leave you and your pissy attitude alone. I literally felt like I was third- wheeling there." He says as he starts mocking the way Jungkook spoke to Taehyung, voice rising a pitch higher in exaggeration. 

When Jungkook groans again, he decides to end the banter. "Just jerk off quietly. We have practice in two hours and I wanna sleep." 

He curses him under his breath but resorts to skip the rest of the conversation, sleepiness making itself known in his heavy footsteps. 

He waits and waits, but Kim Taehyung doesn't contact him once again. He doesn't leave his thoughts, though. He thinks about him on the restless nights he spends hunched over the notes. He thinks about him in the privacy of his shower, the image of dainty jewelry pierced on his chest driving him completely insane. He thinks about him when hoseok goes to retrieve letters from his beloved, hoping to receive one next. He thinks about him when he is faced with a hurdle, reminding himself that Taehyung had to go through everything alone. It motivates him, gets him through long days of training and even longer nights of research. 

Maybe Taehyung is waiting for him to reach out, but no matter how many times he wills himself to visit again, he can’t bring himself to do it. What really causes him to avoid him is a symbol he comes across while decoding. 

The symbol is something his master created, a variable that fits certain meanings he’d been exposed to while practicing under the man. He is sure no one else knows the truth behind it other than him. It makes him nauseous, weight in his stomach so heavy that if not for the beating he receives from Hoseok, he would’ve spiraled into hopelessness. The master had done this to his son expecting he’d see it. He’d endangered his son and had him carry the burden throughout his life on his chastised body just because of a moment of stubbornness. 

He feels like if he sees Taehyung again he would not be able to look him in the eye. He doesn’t know whether it’s self preservation or betrayal to continue researching, but he still does it nonetheless.

The last place Jungkook expects to meet Kim Taehyung at is the Ishval warfront. 

He's walking with Hoseok, reminiscing the tremendous events of the past few months, eyes refusing to scan over the figures draped on the sidewalk. His now gloved hand raises up to greet a soldier passing by, clad in a long coat with the hood raised up to cover his face and a rifle slung over his shoulder.

They get closer to him, not paying him attention as they keep their conversation going. Jungkook notices Hoseok getting exponentially quieter but continues talking about how this isn't the future they wished for in the academy and how corrupt what they are doing is. When the man is side to side with them, Hoseok extends his arm to grab him by the elbow.

Surprised at Hoseok's sudden reflex, Jungkook blurts out, "Hey what are you-"

"Kim Taehyung." 

The name sends shivers down his spine, makes all his hairs stand up in anticipation and concern all at once.

The man lowers his hood, revealing the face Jungkook has yearned to see for four years.

"Hi," he says as he gives them a soft smile, not quite reaching his eyes. "I see you deciphered the code. I'm glad." It makes Jungkook’s body grow cold in shame. 

Taehyung saw him kill using fire alchemy.

"Your eyes," Hoseok chooses to say. "They're the eyes of a murderer. You look the same as us now."

It is only then that Jungkook looks into his eyes. It makes him realize how selfish he has gotten, only thinking of meeting the boy for his own sake. He hadn't thought of what Taehyung must've been through to choose such a path. He cannot grasp how devastating it must be for Taehyung to see the extent of what the ability he gave Jungkook is capable of. He feels, once again, that he betrayed Taehyung's trust. 

He stays locked up in his thoughts for the rest of the day, letting Hoseok and Taehyung do the talking. Seokjin joins in at some point too. 

When his thoughts get more cruel at night and he deems sleep far, far away from him, he moves to a rooftop that once used to provide a nice view of the post-lamp lit streets. He chooses to sit with his back against the railing and lets his mind wander away. 

"Can't sleep?" He startles at the voice that belongs to the person currently in his thoughts. 

"Yeah." He turns to look at Taehyung, who bends down to sit beside him. 

"It's weird, you know, us always meeting like this. It's never a normal situation. It’s never something we plan.”

"It seems like fate has her own ways." 

"Didn't take you as the type to believe in that kind of stuff" 

"It's comforting, I guess, knowing that everything's decided and you just have to survive. Might be silly, but it keeps me grounded" 

Taehyung hums, changing the topic when he looks down to see the gloves covering Jungkook's hands. "You simplified it?"

"Huh? This?" He raises his hand. The circle drawn on the glove is small in a comical way compared to the full scale one on Taehyung's back. "The one on your back is already a simplified version. but once I figured out all the symbols, I found that the amount of power required to complete that transmutation couldn’t be acquired by a normal human being. I don’t know what type of beast it would take, but this has as much impact as an atomic bomb, if not more.”

"And it's only a simplified version," Taehyung speaks in horror. "Exactly. I had to simplify it into this or equivalent exchange would've been impossible." He explains. "I think your father created alchemy that abandons the rule of equivalent exchange." 

"So this is why he was so immersed in that research," Taehyung says, and Jungkook senses the bottled up sorrow and loneliness behind his words. 

"I'm sorry," Jungkook says with his eyes to the ground, haunted by the pain he caused the latter to go through. "You trusted me with this power and I didn't use it wisely. I guess this is what master Kim was afraid of." 

Jungkook risks a glance over his shoulder at the deserted streets, where Kim Seokjin is carrying the dead weight of a child in one hand and a shovel in the other. It feels the same as the early days of the war when he couldn’t sleep, watching the scene everyday but never moving, until the memory of murder became a daily occurrence and he could fathom sleeping through it. He sees the clear aftermath from the rooftop, streets and neighborhoods growing more damaged as the days go by. The grey skies serve as a reminder of the dead, as if their ashes and the remains of the weapons injuring them rose upwards in a silent plead for mercy. 

He hopes Taehyung never had to look at the bright constellations adorning the desert sky months ago.

“We aren’t very different, Jungkook. I’m a 

sniper. I can only kill one at a time, but when I fire a bullet, it will for sure kill someone. I know the people I kill. I know their faces. I see their expressions. I make eye contact with every single one of them when I fire. We're both murderers. We cannot change that. It's done." 

"I just wish we met differently. I think we would have been great friends." 

"I don't see why that can't happen now," Taehyung says, showing him what seems to be the hint of a smile, but it disappears just as he catches it. "Because you know, I'm not forgiving you until you prove to me how you can use fire alchemy to make sure this never happens again, and I will see to it." He tilts his head so it rests on his forearms and looks directly into Jungkook's eyes. "So, you are not getting rid of me for a long time. I want you to prove it to me." 

Jungkook lets out a small laugh in disbelief and shakes his head. He feels like he's seventeen again, the familiar boldness hitting him clear and strong, an indication that Kim Taehyung is more fierce than he could ever know even with the trauma he is sure still boils inside him harsh and unrelenting. 

Taehyung cocks his head to the direction of the city, where Seokjin is still burying the bodies, and suggests, "Let's go help him, yeah? It's the least we can do now. C'mon." 

While they are walking down the stairs, Jungkook suddenly stops in his tracks. "What?" Taehyung asks. 

"I'm happy." It's simple, but it's the only way he can describe what he's feeling right now. 

"But this is far from over," Taehyung says, not wanting him to drown in false hope. 

"I'm just glad that I heard it from you, that you don't regret showing me the research, that you're giving me a second chance, that-" He stops for a moment. “That you aren't blaming yourself for what I did." 

Taehyung just smiles in response, slings and arm around his shoulder to coax him into walking again, and says, "You're just a big softie, aren't you?"

And if anyone asks what the red on his cheeks is, it's any other thing than the doing of a certain Kim Taehyung and his stupid laugh that echoes through the cold night air. 

The war ends with state alchemist watches discarded on the floor and uniforms abandoned indefinitely. 

Jungkook looks around him to see what he wouldn't imagine a victory looks like four years ago. Smiles are snatched from most of the soldiers' faces, replaced with expressions of guilt and rage, and the image of the Führer above them scanning their faces makes a vast majority of them want nothing more than to see the fall of this man. 

It is then, with Hoseok by his side, that he voices the goal that he set for himself the first day he spoke to Taehyung on the rooftop. It is what makes him who he is, drives him forward with a velocity sufficient to make him seem like a madman, the beast that his master was afraid he would become.

For a moment, the words Taehyung spoke to him repeat in his head over and over again. Determination surges in him, conquering his whole body and making him surge with the resolve it prompts. 

He will take the Führer down and make the country a better place. 

He regrets losing hope at one point, being swerved by the waves and told that this is how everything goes, that all what he's been aiming for is a lie. A put out dream of his has been rekindled once again, and this time, he is not going to back down until he shows the whole world how freedom is supposed to feel, new titles be damned. 

Lieutenant Colonel. 

Hero of the Ishval War. 

Just as he was convinced by higher ups that he is just a mere dog of the military who is supposed to blindly follow orders, he demotes the titles given to him by them into mere tools to destroy them and their agenda.

Dog of the military. A master least expects a betrayal from his most loyal dog. 

He only notices his that he is scowling ruthlessly at the Führer when Taehyung speaks up. "If looks could kill," he walks to stand on par with him "Bradley would be burnt into a crisp by now." 

He scans his surroundings, now mind in the moment rather than the future, and sees Hoseok consoling Seokjin, who is sobbing on his knees. His eyes catch on the bare skin peaking out of his ripped uniform, shoulder presses thrown on the floor. 

He leans down to pick them up and covers the holes in the hopeless man's uniform. "Don't resign." 

Seokjin looks up at him with exhausted eyes, the toll of the war apparent on him. "Then tell me," he starts, unable to suppress the wave of tears that forcefully rips itself out of him. "What should I stay for, huh? I am ordered to kill innocent children! Tell me why should I stay in a military that orders me to keep on fighting until all of the people in an innocent town are dead!" He screams, and the three other men crowd around him. Hoseok shares a knowing look with Jungkook over Seokjin's ducked down head. 

"I'm going to rise to the top. I'm going to fix this. I definitely will. The best way to fix a system is to work internally. Leaving the military will not fix anything. The military will still be corrupt. You will just be away from that corruption. It doesn't change the fact that we are murderers. It's the only thing we can do now." The others nod at his words. 

"I can't take any more of this, Jungkook." 

"I want you with me. I want you on my team. I want you to be next to me when l'm standing there." He points to where the Führer is. "All of you." It sends Hoseok into a fit of tears, and he, in turn, sheds a few tears too.

The only response he receives for that is a whisper of 'softie' when he makes eye contact with Taehyung, and as he is trying to come up with a petty retort, he is cut off. 

"Let's cheer for our team," Taehyung says as he hovers his hand in the air. The others join in, giddiness lightening the air. 

Jungkook won't admit it, but he is glad Taehyung is the one that initiated that. He hadn't gotten a clear confirmation from him that he is staying in the military, let alone going through with Jungkook's plan. 

Jungkook tells himself that he wouldn't blame him if he chose to follow a different path, but deep down, he cannot see a future with a piece of the team missing.

The second time Jungkook takes a look at Taehyung's back is a huge contrast from the first. Gone is the playful mood and the 'are you done yet?' muffled by the couch and the give and take of Taehyung and Hoseok's banter. 

Taehyung looks, feels so far away like this, back turned to him and keeping his distance. He knows it can be over with just a snap of his fingers, but he still hesitates, taking in the sight before him. Taehyung looks small under his gaze. Maybe it's fear of regret, fear of detachment from something that has been part of him for a long time, fear of being accidentally burned alive by the merciless flames. 

Jungkook momentarily panics, feeling the approaching guilt of putting Taehyung through pain for the third time. The only reminder that brings him back to the reality of the situation is the memory of Taehyung begging him to do this, begging him to 'set him free’. With that thought in mind, he ignores the tightness in his chest, braces himself, and snaps. 

It is all a blur after that. Taehyung drops down to the floor with a scream of anguish, fire coursing down his back and decaying the outer layer of his skin into ash. The familiar smell of burning flesh that floods Jungkook's nose causes him to cringe but doesn't stop his attempt at reaching Taehyung's cowering figure, immediately cupping his face with his gloved hands to make sure he's okay. The last scene he sees before Taehyung drops on top of him in a heap is a genuine smile of pure, unadulterated joy.

They don't all end up in the same team. 

Seokjin is sent to work under another Colonel. Hoseok remains working under Jungkook as 2nd Lieutenant, and they meet Seokjin only in passing since they all end up in the Eastern Headquarters. He has other new amazing subordinates as well. 

But Taehyung. 

Taehyung doesn't show up. 

It's understandable, really. Jungkook had managed to set his whole back on fire before he passed out from the agonizing pain less than a month ago. He pushes the fact that Taehyung had told him his back was 'totally ok don't worry Kook' to the back of his head, opting to live in anticipation a little more.

'You won't get rid of me easily' 

His office feels grey like this. It's massive. Elegant. Sophisticated. The huge desk he's propping his feet on lays at the center of the room, swarming his senses with the rich smell of wood along with the many pillars adorning the corners of the room. The couches are made of real leather splotched with dabs of lighter and darker shades, proving the authenticity of the job. The window behind him brings in enough sunlight for him not to be turning on the lamps attached to the chandelier above him, but he still does, just because the military has a shit ton of money and he is petty enough. Frankly, the office is perfect, flawless.

Judging by how quick they prepared it for him, it probably belonged to a late Colonel that died in the war. His stomach retches at the thought. Emptiness claws at him once again. In this vast mess of leather and lumber, he feels loneliness settle deep in his bones.

By the walk to his office in the morning, it's clear that most of the soldiers are off still. Hoseok is away with his girlfriend, fiancé now, somewhere in the outskirts of Amestris, and Jungkook is happy for him, truly. When Hoseok showed him the ring just a week after they got back from Ishval, though he would never admit it, his excitement found him buying a suit right away. Seokjin is busy with his family too, doing business and stocks and other rich people matters he honestly absolutely doesn't care about. 

He judges by the radio silence Taehyung had been giving him the past week or so that he also has a life and a routine outside of the military. He concludes from what he is feeling that happiness and loneliness can coexist. He doesn't quite have a title for the uneasiness in his chest, but he doesn't really have to come up with one.

Maybe he, too, needs a life outside his job, a hobby maybe, or perhaps he needs to take Hoseok's advice and go get laid. He feels like it's been ages since he last let his guard down and just had fun, too immersed with attaining his goals rather than taking care of himself. At the academy, they used to go through harsh practice for a whole week that when the weekend came, the only thing he did was talk nonsense with Hoseok and maybe pass out piss drunk on their shared bathroom's floor. 

The extermination left him no chance to be himself. It felt cruel, heartless to kill hundreds of people a day then decide to have drinks with the boys.

He knows, though, that he's an expert procrastinator. It's not like he has nothing else to do than wait. He uncrosses his legs to let his right shoe rest on top of the pile of paperwork he needs to go through before the end of the day. Yeah, he doesn't need a hobby to add to the list of things he procrastinates on on the regular.

A knock on his door knocks him out of his trance, literally, and he almost scatters all the neatly piled paper in his scramble to straighten up his posture and look presentable. "Come in," he says as he pats down the hem of his jacket. 

Sergeant Major Min Yoongi, one of his new subordinates, opens the door just to eye the untouched paper in front of Jungkook, clearly unsatisfied. When Jungkook gives him a silent stare, he straightens his slouched back and announces what he came for. "Uh, Second Lieutenant Kim Taehyung is asking to meet you. Should I-"

"Let him in," Jungkook all but blurts, trying to hide his excitement and restlessness upon hearing the name, the title. Second Lieutenant. Taehyung is back for good. It makes him thrilled for what's to come, for the experience of working their way up the thresholds of the system together, to fulfill his promise. 

He takes the click sound the door makes, indicating that Yoongi left the room, as his cue to stop starting at Taehyung like a maniac and speak. "How's your back?" He chooses to say, not wanting to seem too eager. 

Taehyung's eyes shift at the question, and the look he receives is one he doesn't know what to make of. The amusement in it clashes with the teasing, almost condescending, quirk of his brow. "Hm?" 

Jungkook has an idea why he's acting oblivious, so he doesn't press the matter further. He takes a deep breath and changes the subject. "So this is the path you chose after all." 

"You know, Kook, I'm a coward. I wanted to run away, but I kinda owe a few people." Taehyung takes a seat on the couch, not waiting for an invitation. His comfort around Jungkook, arms thrown over the back of the couch and legs spread nonchalantly, makes this feel less intimidating and life changing. 

"You know it's okay-"

"I know. I know, but we need to be responsible for what we did. It's not like I joined the military and expected to not be employed in combat, but the people we killed had their lives cut short no matter how we choose to look at it. We owe them to at least stop a war like that from happening again. I know it's all bullshit to you, the titles. Hero of the Ishval war my ass." Taehyung allows himself to open up. 

"Use as many big words as you want, Kim. It's guilt."

"Yeah, and we need to receive punishment for that guilt to die down a little. This life, this path is enough punishment for me. I might have to live to kill again if I was ordered to or see you kill with fire alchemy. But punishment alone won't satisfy me. I want to take that bastard down, and I won't rest until I see you in his place." He stops his speech and walks over to stand at the edge of Jungkook's desk. "I want to work with you, Colonel." It's not a plead or a request. but a reiteration of a promise, a conviction in Ishval. It’s his way of making it official that he is not going to back down this time. 

He doesn’t mull over the idea, replying instantly. “From now on, I want you to be my assistant, my body guard.” He reaches into his belt to pull out a black polished piston, cocks it, and slides it on his desk. He takes a deep breath when Taehyung just stares at it idly. “I expect you know what that means. If I ever stray away from our goal when I gain more power, I want you to shoot me in the back.” He shakes his head in the direction of the gun. ”take it," he says, just for Taehyung to immediately snatch it from the table and tuck it into his belt. 

“Yes sir.”

He has to peer at Taehyung's fumbling figure through his lashes to look him in the eye, but he still doesn't move. "Can you start right now, lieutenant?" He leans back in his chair to shoot him a smile, and Taehyung scoffs in response. 

"I guess I have nothing better to do," he shrugs. 

"Alright, see this paperwork? I want it all done today," he carries it with a grunt to the coffee table near the couch, leaving Taehyung dumfounded with his feet glued in place. 

"What's wrong? Can't handle some simple paperwork?" Jungkook retorts at Taehyung's shock. 

"Let me tell you something, Kook." He receives a charged glare from Jungkook, bets on the nonchalant spree in him, and continues. “If I didn’t check the monitor’s office before coming here,” He punctuates each word with a step in the Colonel’s direction, maneuvering him so his back hits the wall behind him, caging him with a firm thigh between his legs, until they are flush chest to chest and Jungkook is able to feel the metal against his chest through two layers of clothing. Taehyung tilts his head, breath hot and heavy against the shell of his ear, and whispers, “this little mouth of yours would’ve gotten us in big, big trouble.”

The display of confidence startles Jungkook, restricting him in place way after Taehyung lets go with faux disappointment and a shake of his head to settle on the couch. A phantom feeling of the contrasting warmth of Taehyung’s figure and the chill of the contact of their chests making all the hairs in his body stand is still there, a reminder of how affected he is by Taehyung’s valiance.

“Hey Jeon, got a pen?”

They get appointed as a requirement squad. It’s expected, really, new Lieutenant Colonel and his amateur friends who were nobodies before the war. 

It is much harder than they thought it would be. The war had a chain psychological effect on a lot of soldiers, quitting after the atrocities they were forced to commit, and the citizens are fed up with the corruption of the government. It has gotten to the extent that the only thing he can get through is a 'hello this is Jeon Jungkook, Lieutenant Colonel and state alchemist and this is 2nd Lieutenant Kim Tae-' before a door is shut in his face or a random object is chucked at him by an angry mother, which Taehyung always manages to catch with a quick reflex just short of Jungkook's nose. 

In short, the job is not going well. 

Hoseok sits on the couch with a cigarette in his mouth, another one lit and prepared in his hand, which Namjoon immediately snatches in a moment of frustration. “Old fucking hags don’t understand that this shit is harder than combat.” He says, stamping the documents of the candidates who refused the offer to join the military.

“At this rate, we aren’t gonna reach the target number,” Namjoon says, taking a drag from the cigarette he stole from Hoseok.

"Jungkook why are you being so calm about this?" Hoseok slams the advertisement posters on his desk. 

Jungkook tries to stay strong for the team, getting his priorities straight even though he isn't particularly satisfied with how things are going. "This is a great opportunity to-" 

"This is a great opportunity to bla bla fucking bla I get it," Hoseok mocks, tired of hearing thesame mantra over and over again. 

"Well, I think it's smart on the military's part honestly. They're using us as a marketing strategy only because we're all hot, not because they think you guys are not capable, if that makes you feels better.” Namjoon tries to logic his way out, shooting a desperate look to Taehyung and Yoongi, who still haven’t joined the discussion.

Yoongi sighs and decides to speak. “Namjoon is right. They are using us as market whatever-“

“Marketing strategy.” Namjoon corrects.

“Yeah that, because you guys are young and can appeal to many people, so stop it both of you with these death sticks or you’ll die before we get appointed to an actual mission.” Yoongi says, hand clearing out the smoke in the air. 

“We’re going tomorrow to Resembool,a small town in the south.” Taehyung hands Jungkook a booklet before the mood can turn gloomy again, which Jungkook begins skimming through. "And Hoseok, here are the posters. Our train leaves at nine. Be sure to be there, both of you." 

Something catches Jungkook's eye. "So the military is this desperate now? Edward Elric, 11 years old. Alphonse Elric, 9 years old. Fucking Insane." He mumbles to Taehyung.

The trip to Resembool seems longer than it actually is. It's not the first time he receives a request to recruit an underage person, but kids are a new level of low, even for the military. 

"We're going in alphabetical order," Taehyung announces, reading the tense air that he knows won't clear up until Jungkook gets what he wants. 

Jungkook makes a mental note to thank him later on. It seems that the longer Taehyung works with him, the better he gets at understanding him without any exchange of words. 

Jungkook believes that no amount of years working as a state alchemist could've prepared him for the moment he knocks over the Elrics' door. The crawl of blood towards his pores runs stale and the veins in his blown out eyes pulse and contract in horror at the implications of the atrocity of the image before their sights. A gasp of acknowledgement from Taehyung is enough to make his eyes cross and his brain lightheaded, mustering the remainder of his strength to set out for the nearest house and violently knock and thrash against the door.


	2. A Colonel’s duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know my priorities, Namjoon.”
> 
> “Just don’t let it affect your goal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare your tissues.

“Do you think he’ll ever come back?”

“I’m sure he will.”

They’d barged the house the Elrics were staying in this morning, rage layering Jungkook’s body and rolling off him like Taehyung hasn’t seen in years. Skipping introductions, Jungkook delivered Edward a harsh scolding, and now that he is calm, he reasons that maybe this isn’t the best impression he could give the boys. He is supposed to be recruiting them after all. 

He does explain what the job’s risks and upsides are through his purchase for comprehension, focusing on the part of unlimited research of classified documents he knows they will be interested in.

Back at the office, he sits at his desk procrastinating as per his routine, not so subtly waiting for Yoongi to come take pity on him and do the work he was assigned. Namjoon sits across him and it seems like he’s just killing time too, cigarette dangling between his fore and middle finger, burning and wasted, melting steadily into the wooden floors, like he has something bothering him he wants to discuss. 

“Don’t you have any work to do?” Jungkook at last breaks the silence, feeling watched.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he retorts raising his eyebrows at the pile of paper on Jungkook’s desk.

“Why are you here?” He reiterates clearly.

“It’s just that, you seem happier today, Lieutenant Colonel. You aren’t giving me shit for smoking in your office and you’re humming too. Did the job go well today?” Namjoon asks, spectacle of Jungkook’s joy, a contrast to what the miserable data of today’s hunt, as they like to call it, indicates. 

_ “Why do you keep on fighting, Lieutenant?”  _

_ Jungkook can hear the faint question when he approaches the room Taehyung had taken Winry, the Elrics’ friend, to as he explained the job to them.  _

_ “Because I have someone I want to protect.” _

Jungkook knows it’s silly, since it is Taehyung’s job to be his bodyguard; he is just following orders, but hearing him state so casually that it is his reason impacts Jungkook harder than it should. 

“It’s nothing. I just. It’s something personal.” 

Namjoon hums, and as he is forming a response, his sight averts to the door, where Taehyung enters the room with a formal salute holding a stack of books.

“Oh Joon, you’re here.” Taehyung beams at him, juggling the books to rest on one hand and managing to bump his fist with Namjoon’s raised one on the way to Jungkook’s desk.

He drops the book on the floor instead of the desk with a loud thud. “Here are all the books you asked for. Check them and I’ll leave them in the lobby for you to take home later.”

“Yeah thank you.” He makes an act of scanning the titles real quick and stacks them up once again so Taehyung can leave with them in tow. When Taehyung picks them up, Jungkook decides to increase his load by dropping the stack of paper right on top, causing an even greater dent in Taehyung’s posture. “Master Sergeant Min.” 

Taehyung rolls his eyes sarcastically, as if he hadn’t stopped for a brief second before leaving, anticipating Jungkook to increase his baggage. “I would flip you off if I wasn’t carrying all this.”

“I’d like to see you try, Lieutenant.”

Taehyung’s strained muscles shake with the pressure, and he can only manage a scoff in response before he’s out the door.

“You see this conversation right here, Lieutenant Colonel? Yeah that is not what a conversation between a commander and subordinate looks like.”

“Namjoon,” Jungkook warns, staring right into his eyes with a pointed look.

“Don’t _Namjoon_ me, Jungkook. I know you want to become Führer.” Namjoon announces, and when Jungkook stutters with wide eyes and a confused stance, he continues. “You’re the last person I could imagine breaking his work ethics.”

“I just like to be less formal with my team. What’s wrong with that? It’s not like I’m formal with you either.” Jungkook acts oblivious, wanting to avert Namjoon from what he’s implying.

“You know what I mean. You like him, don’t you?” The bluntness makes Jungkook’s resolve falter.

He sighs. “I know my priorities, Namjoon.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes. Just don’t let it affect your goal. You know as much as I do you can’t have both. You’ve already come so far. It would be a shame if you back down now, and for what? ”

“How did you even know?”

“Know what? That you want to become Führer?” He decides to address the issue that he knows Jungkook is more comfortable discussing, albeit not less scandalous, pushing the topic of his personal life aside. “I didn’t know, but you just confirmed my doubts.”

“Huh?” Jungkook seems to be met with surprise after surprise as the conversation goes on. “Fucking smartass.”

Later during the day, Namjoon and Hoseok tease him relentlessly. He tunes it out, something about a bet and maybe a comment about how heroic it would be if he overtook Amestris one day and changed the in-military relationships law, and maybe he rolls his eyes and brushes it off with a groan.

But yeah, Jungkook thinks that it might be pretty fucking heroic. 

He lays sleepless in his bed that night, a predictable outcome a day like his entails. His eyesight keeps on straying to the pile of books in the corner of the room, but he forces himself to stay in place. It’s a personal matter, he tells himself.

An hour later he sits on the table, comforter still untouched, just wrinkled a little bit where he lay down, like he knew he’d end up here, laying there just for the sake of saying he tried. Who he’d been pretending for, he doesn’t know. The books are dusty and torn a little bit at the edges, having survived long enough to end up in his hands.

The irony of the situation only sinks in when he sweeps away the thin layer of dust with his pointer finger just enough to read the title. He stays up thinking about a personal matter just to run away and confide in another, both that he shouldn’t let affect his job in any way, starting from how tired he is going to be tomorrow to do his normal duties efficiently.

He is halfway through his second book when a knock on the door startles him from his focused state. He panics momentarily because he doesn’t recall inviting anyone over in the middle of the night, but decides to answer nonetheless, albeit not before taking his precautions. 

The door creaks when he cracks it open enough to peak before quickly sliding it open in one go, stance alert and tense. When he is able to identify the person at his doorstep, his hands lay limp on his side and he relaxes visibly to step aside as a silent invitation.

“Are you seriously holding a pan?”

“Well I didn’t expect my assistant to show up at my house at ass o’clock,” Jungkook says, because how fucking convenient. He stays up primarily because his mind is worked up about a certain person, just for said person to miraculously show up at his appartment.

“You literally have a bag of gloves right here. You can burn someone alive with these, but nooo, you decide to get a pan. You really are useless without me,” Taehyung comically mocks, pitch rising up and down.

“Did you come here just to roast me?” Jungkook coldly asks, knowing that Taehyung wouldn’t come over for no reason.

“I actually came to borrow a book or two because I couldn’t sleep thinking about it. What happened today, it was obvious you were offering the boys the job as Jungkook, not as Lieutenant Colonel Jeon. You genuinely wanted to help them, so as your subordinate, I should help, too.” Taehyung explains and it’s like the cold night is causing him to overshare a little, cheeks pink and atmosphere quiet.

“See all these books right here,” he sighs, “there’s not much in them, and we have access to classified information. They will never get their bodies back without joining the military. It’s impossible.” He pauses, mulls it over, and proceeds. “It’s two birds in one stone.”

“I know you didn’t think about it that way.” 

“You’re right.” He chuckles, “maybe this is what I have to think, but I just- I just can’t imagine what these boys went through to consider human transmutation. I want to help.”

Taehyung hums, and when the conversation grows silent, Jungkook gets up and moves towards the kitchenette’s direction. “Tea?” He calls once he’s there, back turned to Taehyung.

“No, I’ll have to pass. I actually just came for the book. I’ll leave now. Sleep well.”

“Alright.” Jungkook is still in the kitchenette and Taehyung seizes the chance.

When Jungkook wipes his wet hands, residue of the newly washed and packed pan he was supposed to ambush the intruder in, on his pajamas as he walks to the table, he expects a snarky comment about how towels exist, but all he is met by is the sound of the door closing then it’s complete silence.

He thinks it’s his mind playing games on him when he feels the room emptier than it was, but it is just when he decides to continue reading that he-

Kim fucking Taehyung.

All of the books are gone, replaced by a piece of paper most likely torn from the front page of one of them, filled with hurried scribbles, and if he thinks about it hard enough, he can picture a cautious Taehyung writing it as quickly as possible, stealing glances in the kitchen’s direction to ensure Jungkook doesn’t catch him in the act.

_ ‘I came to take all the books because I knew you’ll be up. Sleep.’  _

Jungkook’s promotion to Colonel, and his team members all a rank up higher, takes not only him, but also the entire Eastern Headquarters by surprise. 

It’s deliberate, their cautiously woven plan. Another team would’ve complained. Being shut down as mere advertisement isn’t the most prominent achievement a soldier could reach in his or her line of duty. 

His rise is unforeseen and quiet, bubbling and overflowing so quickly it feels like a backstab to the system, according to the tight smiles the higher ups shine his way in response to the change.

It’s nothing Hoseok hadn’t warned him about before. He knows it, too. He’s 26 with a title most soldiers die in the line of duty before attaining, wrinkles adorning their features and still unfulfilled. He’s basically unstoppable with the increased authority, the last piece he needed to fit. 

He doesn’t dare calling himself a threat to the seniors’ positions, but it is undeniable that they are uneasy about his promotion. It’s enough to know they will plot something, do something to knock him down a few notches. 

He gets ready for work like he usually would, makes a note to pick up his old uniform from the cleaner’s, a luxury he indulges himself in at the promise of his increased income, while he puts on the new uniform. The three stars on his shoulders look good, he thinks.

It’s just the everlasting tense feeling that he can never shake off no matter what, the knowledge that now every move of his will be watched closely. He heaves a long sigh when he parks at his usual spot before getting out. He finds Taehyung waiting for him at the office, and he pats his shoulder at the sight of the crisp cloth of his uniform, a sign of fresh, new attire. “Good morning, First Lieutenant,” he says, playing with the prominent golden stars. 

“It’s the time you forget everyone’s names and start calling them by their titles after a promotion, huh, _Colonel_?” He teases.

“Ah, I can’t even be happy with my subordinates’ promotions?” He says as he sits down at his desk. “I didn’t know you liked it that much when I call you by your first name.” 

“The Brigadier General told me to deliver this to you,” he rebounds the conversation, handing Jungkook an envelope.

He opens an envelope to reveal what must be the result of his suspicions. His eyes widen at the bold words in the center of the paper, unable to form words that could explain the situation to Taehyung. Shock settles deep in his gut, turning his stomach at how much of a low blow this is. 

“What is it?” Taehyung asks, and before he could formulate a response, vehement footsteps in the hallway become louder and louder until Hoseok shows up, violently slamming the door he hears the hinges crack. He bends down to catch his breath, ass pushing the door close in the process. When he finally stands up, his breath still shallow, they can see the outcome of the revelation clear on his appearance. His hair is sticking up as if he’d been clawing at it, his uniform is buttoned incorrectly, and the paper in his hand, matching Jungkook’s, is so wrinkled he doubts its contents are readable anymore.

“Did you hear?” He drops limp on the chair before Jungkook’s desk. “They’re fucking transferring me to Central Headquarters.”

“What? Seriously?” Taehyung questions, face mirroring their mussed up expressions.

“Yeah, man. It’s ridiculous. The higher ups couldn’t find a way to stop us so they decided to just tear down the team,” he scoffs.

“I didn’t expect this, honestly.”

“What else could they do? They have nothing against you. We never really interacted with other teams after the war.”

He sighs. “Yeah. It makes sense, I guess.”

“You know, when I said our path will be long and hard, I expected reliving another hell like Ishval, not playing house with a bunch of old petty hags.” 

“The old petty hags have nothing on us, dude. Let’s show them what we can do, even when you’re all the way in Central.” He shoots him a smile, now feeling better after Hoseok’s nonchalant remark. “Seokjin got transferred there a couple of months ago too, right? Good luck with that.”

“Oh god,” Taehyung says, and he can hear Hoseok audibly grimace.

“He’ll squeeze me with his bigass muscles when he sees me. I’m gonna suffocate.”

“He’ll also probably be naked”

Hoseok groans loudly, and croaks an ‘enough’

“But on a serious note, Seok. Maybe the transfer is for the better, with the little one on the way,” Taehyung tries to think about the situation rationally.

“Yeah, there are more hospitals and schools in the capital,” Jungkook supplies. “Call me when the baby arrives. I’ll visit.”

He then slips out of the conversation, opting to read over the document just in case. 

“Hoseok!” He gasps. “Your train leaves,”

He lets Hoseok decrumple the paper still in his hands. “Tonight?!” Another gasp, louder. “Oh my god. My wife doesn’t even know.” He makes a run to the door, but stops to peak his head in the room once again. “I’m off for the day, right, Colonel?”

He sighs. “Yeah. Yeah, you are.”

“Colonel, it’s dangerous. Please leave this to the police.” Taehyung struggles to keep up with Jungkook’s rapid strides, path familiar enough that he slings his rifle and gets combat ready through his protests, though at a much slower pace than Jungkook’s frantic one.

Jungkook’s movement suddenly comes to a halt, flinching slightly with a hiss at the impact of the other man’s head against his back. “Look. I know Hoseok and Seokjin warned me and asked me to lay low until I’m transferred to Central, and I appreciate it, but this involves the safety of my subordinates.” He turns around. “It’s up to you, Taehyung. Are you coming?” He knows the question is silly, given that Taehyung had already set the preparations for battle for not only himself, but the entire team as well.

“Always.”

They arrive at the destination just in time to witness the enemy preparing to finish off a gravely injured Edward, hovering over him with his right hand raised up in the air, ready to land a fatal blow on the boy. He doesn’t notice their arrival until Jungkook shoots a bullet vertically into the rainy sky in alert. “That’s enough! I’m taking you into custody for murdering a series of State Alchemists.” 

Scar gives a speech about his intentions in response to their arrival, claiming himself as right hand man to God, before taunting, “If you interfere, I will eliminate you as well.” 

Unable to back down from a challenge, Jungkook shoves his gun right into Taehyung’s hand, and Taehyung, realizing the threat of the situation from a glance at the sky, tries to stop him. “Colonel Jeon,” he calls.

“Colonel Jeon,” the enemy mulls over the name, recognizing him. “The flame alchemist, volunteering yourself to receive judgement.” 

“So you know who I am and you’re still willing to challenge me. Bad decision.” 

The two men charge at each other at full speed, vigorously anticipating to attack mercilessly at the point of contact, filled to the brim with rage and strive for vengeance.

Jungkook, blinded by his purpose, doesn’t see Taehyung tailing his footsteps to intercept the clash right before it happens, sliding smoothy with the aid of the wet pavement to tumble over both the Colonel and Scar. He doesn’t let Scar gain his composure, immediately firing relentlessly at him with his and Jungkook’s gun at once.

When Scar flees to hide in an alleyway, Jungkook addresses his subordinate. “Hey Kim, what the hell did you do that for?”

“You know as well as I do, you’re useless on rainy days. Stay back,” Taehyung explains.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. It’s kinda hard to get a spark when it’s raining,” Namjoon joins, snapping his fingers at Jungkook just like the Colonel would when initiating an attack.

Scar, now encouraged by the soldiers’ warning to their Colonel, steps out of his hiding to continue the fight, falling right into the trap of the Central reinforcements that set out at the news of a battle, shadowed by a looming Major Kim Seokjin. 

“Reinforcements?” Scar says as he dodges Seokjin’s fist, clearly fatal if he wasn’t quick enough, judging from the hole it creates in the pavement, sending projections of rocks all around the street.

“You’re quite good to be able to dodge my fist, the Strong Arm Alchemist, Kim Seokjin.”

Seokjin, being the only State Alchemist on the battlefield, takes over the fighting while Namjoon rushes to Edward’s side. He explains that their enemy is the same man who murdered Shou Tucker, then dodges a flying rock coming at him, more residue of the battle. “Major Kim, try not to destroy much of the city.”

“Why is he fighting naked, though?” Taehyung comments in response to Seokjin’s bluff and glorious muscles.

Throughout the course of the fight, Seokjin is able to deduce that Scar is an Alchemist as well, and deliberately voices his conclusion in the form of conversation with Scar, alerting the other officers. 

“So he’s an alchemist too, but why target state alchemists?” It’s not only Jungkook’s who is astonished at the irony of it. He sees Edward and Namjoon try to analyze the mechanics of Scar’s alchemy.

His question is answered by a ploy Seokjin and Taehyung execute. Seokjin corners him, fools him to think he is attacking again, but backs away in the last moment, allowing Taehyung to fire at Scar’s face using his rifle, grazing it only slightly and knocking over his sunglasses in the process.

“Did you get him?” Jungkook asks, in awe at their plan.

“Just a graze.”

It’s only when they are able to take a clear look at his face that they are able to see the full picture.

“Brown skin and red eyes?”

“An Ishvalan.”

The shock doesn’t get to sink in their brains properly before Scar lands a powerful blow to the sidewalk below him, completely destroying the ground, escaping into the sewers.

“Oh? Is it over?” A familiar voice perks, causing both Seokjin and Jungkook to turn around.

“Lieutenant Colonel Jung, where have you been?”

“I’m an ordinary guy. I was taking cover,” he explains.

“Why didn’t you at least give support or something,” Jungkook scolds.

“Shut up. Don’t drag me into this, you freaks.” He claps back, and when he notices the other officers comfortably making themselves audience to their banter, he starts giving orders. “Don’t you guys have work to do? Come on. Emergency deployments within the city.”

As they begin their work, Jungkook stands witness to the Elrics’ give and take with his original squad, bantering with each other like any regular siblings, except roughed up with the battle’s impact.

“Oh.” Hoseok stares at their state.

“Sorry for keeping it from you, Seok.” Jungkook explains, knowing what Hoseok is thinking.

“Don’t worry. I’m not telling the higher ups.” 

They watch as Taehyung drapes his jacket over over Edward’s shoulder, averting suspicion from his missing arm while Namjoon and Seokjin rush to comfort them. 

“We can play off the part about Edward’s limbs, but Alphonse is-“ he trials off, noticing Jungkook’s eyes focusing on Edward and Taehyung. He doesn’t mention it though.

“An Ishvalan, huh?” Jungkook ponders when the silence becomes too much, wondering if this is what the actual ‘punishment’ that Taehyung said they deserve all those years ago. Maybe they’re just foolish to think they can fix anything, he thinks, but as his vision is filled with Taehyung’s warm treatment towards the brothers, he is just glad Taehyung isn’t a State Alchemist. He’s too good to be one.

He explains to the clueless brothers later that day what Scar’s possible reason to go after State Alchemists is with the whole team and some new subordinates he acquired with his promotion a couple of years ago gathered in the office. “What’s the plan now, Fullmetal?” He asks when he’s done explaining.

“I need to go back to my mechanic to fix my arm so that I can fix Al’s body. I’m the only one here who knows how to affix a soul, it seems.”

“Alright. Think you can escort them, Major Kim?” Seokjin gives him a knowing look at that, as if to say, _yeah, Scar is still free. We can’t risk it._

“Yes Sir.”

“Great. You are all dismissed. You did a great job today.”

He watches everyone filter out of the room silently from his chair, their many voices and footsteps mingling. It makes him think back to his early days as a State Alchemist with only a few people by his side, clashing with the present reality, the amount of people in his office a few moments ago. How many were they? Maybe 10, maybe more.

It doesn’t make him feel as accomplished as past him would have thought. His mind still lingers at the events of the day, thinking about how it’s their actions that indirectly caused Scar to do what he did, more deaths he is responsible for failing on top of piles and piles that lock him in a state of constant, immense unsatisfaction, hold him back from achieving true happiness.

“Jungkook?” The sheepish use of the name is his indication that they are the only ones left behind. “Is there something wrong?”

“I’m just thinking. What if one of us killed a member of Scar’s family?”

“It’s not impossible. We are to blame. What we did isn’t correct, but Scar’s way of taking revenge isn’t correct either. Someone once told me that the best way to fix a corrupt system is from the inside.” 

Jungkook lets out a breath from his nose that soon breaks out into a quiet laugh. “You’re unbelievable, Tae.”

“There have been no sightings of Scar since the incident with the Elric Brothers,” Taehyung reports. 

“Maybe he is not in East City anymore.”

“I need him to be here.” Jungkook’s back is turned to Taehyung and Namjoon, notion authorizing and confident having come into terms with the fact that he needs to do something to stop Scar in order to prevent others like him from emerging. 

“Huh?” Namjoon questions, confused. 

“If I can solve the case that was left unsolved in Central, it could raise my status in the public’s eye.” He turns around to look directly into their eyes. “I’ll take advantage of everything I can until I become the Führer.”

“You should refrain from making such remarks.”

“Yeah, I’ll try.” He turns in his chair again. It’s cocky, and maybe he does it because he wants Taehyung to know he’s not overthinking his purpose anymore, but also does it because wants to sound confident for his own sake.

“Excuse me sir.” He is forced to turn his chair again at the officer at the door. “There has been an explosion by Merle River.”

“What?!”

They head to the scene immediately, searching for bodies or anything that indicates the cause of the explosion. 

It’s just a few moments later that Taehyung picks up a jacket covered in blood that strayed into the river. “This belongs to Scar. There’s no mistaking it.”

“Did you find any bodies?” 

“We’ve been searching, but.“ Namjoon replies,hand scratching the back of his head.

“Judging from this blood, it’s safe to assume that he is dead.” Taehyung is still holding the jacket, inspecting it thoroughly.

“But still, we can’t let our guard down until we confirm his death.” Jungkook replies, still skeptical. “2nd Lieutenant Kim.”

“Yes sir?”

“Have your squad search all the rubble. Don’t take any breaks. I want to see his dead body right in front of my eyes.”

“No breaks?” Namjoon gasps.

“Lieutenant Colonel Jung is on a public line.”

“Again?” Jungkook sighs. “Put him through.” When he hears the bling, indicating that he’s been connected, he speaks. “It’s me. If it’s about your daughter, I’m hanging up.

Silence.

“Lieutenant Colonel Jung?” 

Silence.

“Hoseok?”

Silence.

“Hey, Hoseok.” It’s more frantic, desperate.

Silence.

He slams the phone back in its place as three beeps reach his ear, indicating that Hoseok hung up.

_ “Only one person has the power to do much. A subordinate protects their subordinate, and so on. That should be possible even for us puny humans.” _

_ “Geometric progression? Which means that, if you want to protect the whole country, you have to be at the top of the summit.” _

_ “It must feel great up there, Seok, but I can’t climb to the top with my own strength.” _

_ “Sounds interesting. I’m in.” _

_ “Lieutenant Colonel! That’s amazing!” _

_ “2nd Lieutenant, yeah? not doing bad yourself, Seok.” _

_ “Colonel? Oh my god! Man we gotta celebrate! We all got promoted. Taehyungie too, huh?” _

_“Next time you’re here at Central, don’t show up unless I have to call you Brigadier General, understood?_ ” 

“Specially promoted two ranks after being killed in the line of duty. Brigadier General Jung Hoseok, huh?” It’s quiet, hushed. 

The world doesn’t hear the grief he bears. Instead, everything moves normally. The sun is setting as it would everyday, and the cool evening winds play at his locks. The stone at Hoseok’s grave is unnoticeable among the many others, nothing outstanding. Brigadier General or not. The world doesn’t move or stop for him, and though Jungkook would think his sorrow should be enough to create a dent in the flow of what’s regular, normal, it doesn’t.His frustration at the fact surprises him, as if he hadn’t known it, as if he hadn’t had enough of seeing people dying.

“You said you were going to work under me and support me. What’s the point if you surpass my rank?” It’s soothing, speaking normally to Hoseok, as if he’d suddenly appear and scold him for it. “Idiot,” he continues, harsher, because maybe. Just maybe.

“Jungkook.”

“Alchemists are unpleasant creatures, aren’t they, Tae?” His voice sounds more agonizing in his ears that he has someone now beside him, the presence reassuring and urging him to let his emotions out. “I’m desperately putting together the theory of human transmutation in my head. I feel like I know how those boys felt when they tried to transmute their mother.” He admits.

“Are you alright?” 

The question breaks all the barriers for him, knowing that Taehyung has also lost an important friend today too. He’s doing this so Jungkook can let go freely. He lifts the wrinkled cap he’s been clutching quickly to his head, hair slicked back from having been stuck under it for most of the ceremony. Once it’s in place, it hits him that he needs to move, that the funeral is over, and that he has to submit to the normal flow of the world once again. 

No, he can pretend some more. “Yeah.”

The world won’t change, but he acts like it does. “Ah, it looks like it’s beginning to rain.”

“Huh? No I don’t think so.“ Taehyung says as he lifts his head up to look at the sky.

“No, it’s raining.” Useless. Rain makes him useless, embodying his current reality.

Taehyung’s face contorts in realization at the tears rushing through the Colonel’s cheek. “You’re right. Let’s go back. We’ll catch a cold here.” 

And so, Taehyung holds up an umbrella as they walk back to the Central Headquarters, ignoring the questioning stares they receive from the people passing by. 

Jungkook steers their path when he calms down a little, guiding them to the hotel Taehyung and him are supposed to be resting at for the night, wanting to drop the Lieutenant off before going to the headquarters to collect information on the murder. Taehyung just moves with him pliantly, afraid that if he opposes the latter, he would trigger another breakdown, and knowing that after the shocking news today, Jungkook is overcome with the need to protect.

“Taehyung,” Jungkook speaks when they reach the hotel. “I’ll go to the headquarters to collect information on the case. We’ll proceed with the investigation later. You can rest for now.”

“Yes Sir.”

“He left the room saying that he was going to the library,” Hoseok’s subordinate informs him, tailing Hoseok’s steps carefully. “That was the last time I saw the Lieutenant Colonel.”

He opens the door of the library to reveal the room so disheveled that the papers on the ground leave no space for a person to step inside. “Did he fight with someone here?” 

“Most likely. There were bloodstains from the room to the hallway.” 

They move along said hallway to the phone office, where a crying receptionist awaits them to walk them through the events of that night. “The Lieutenant Colonel tried to make a phonecall, even while he was injured, but he left without doing so.”

When Jungkook realizes the weight of the realization that must’ve downed on Hoseok in the library that made him refuse calling him from the military phone, going through the trouble to contact him from the outside, he asks Hoseok’s subordinates to stay behind while he inspects the crime scene.

“What did the Eastern Headquarters telephone operator report?” Jungkook asks the guard standing at the telephone booth.

“He reported that the Lieutenant Colonel said ‘the military is in danger’”

The question remains floating in Jungkook’s head and as much as he wants to know who the murderer is, he wants to know what was his best friend trying to tell him. He wants to finish the job Hoseok died before finishing. 

“Colonel.” He whips his head at the familiar voice, and he curses the fact that it comforts him as much as it worries him. He appreciates it, stomach starting to retch at the sight of the caked blood of the most important person in his life splattered all over the booth. He needs a distraction.“I’ve brought Major Kim.”

He doesn’t have the energy to acknowledge Taehyung’s disobedience to what was an order from him. Instead, the sight of Seokjin beside him tells him that, yeah, Taehyung did the right thing. Seokjin was the person in the military who was close to Hoseok throughout his last days. 

They move to a secluded area. “We have an idea of the ones who murdered Lieutenant Colonel Jung.”

He has to forcefully hold himself back from punching Seokjin in the face, remembering the way his body shook physically with the force of his sobs at Hoseok’s daughter’s cluelessness at the funeral. If it was Seokjin’s choice, he would do anything to avenge Hoseok. He still asks, though. “Then why don’t you take them into custody?”

“We have an idea, but we don’t know exactly who they are.” His tension at Jungkook’s anger ridden tone is clear.

“Tell me in detail.”

“I cannot.”

“I, a Colonel, am telling you to speak. Are you going to disobey a senior officer?” 

“I cannot speak.” 

“Understood. Sorry for calling you out here. You may go.” He can see Taehyung’s shocked expression at the reluctance Seokjin shows from the corner of his eyes, and if he didn’t have an idea to why he is refusing, he would be just as shocked. Seokjin isn’t someone who would go against the rules normally.

“Yes sir.” 

Jungkook prepares to leave, but Seokjin speaks again. “Sir, I forgot to mention. The Elric Brothers had been staying here until a few days ago.”

“The Elric Brothers?”

“Yes, the Elric Brothers.”

“Did they find what they were looking for?”

“No. What they are looking for is almost legendary.”

“I see. Thanks.” 

With that, Seokjin takes his cue to leave, and Taehyung, confused at the turn the conversation took, prods at Jungkook. “We couldn’t get much out of him, could we?”

“Seriously.” He scoffs. “The Major is truly good-natured. He said ‘the ones[italic] who murdered Hoseok,’ which means there are several. It could be an organization.” 

Understanding that Seokjin tried to slip in clues while talking, Taehyung might’ve understood what happened, but Jungkook continues anyways. “If he can’t speak, even under an order from a Colonel, that means that someone higher ranked than me is imposing silence on him. We can assume the top of the military is behind it.”

“And the thing the Elric Brothers are looking for, the philosopher’s stone.” He covers the last clue Seokjin gave him.

“An organization that has a hand in the military leadership, the philosopher’s stone, and Lieutenant Colonel Jung Hoseok. How does it all relate?” Taehyung reminisces what he gathered.

“As for now, we don’t know, but once I get transferred to Central, I’ll investigate and find out who killed Hoseok.”

“It’s unlike you to mix private and public matters.” Taehyung reminds him, not wanting Jungkook to take a sorrow guided decision.

“There are no private or public matters involved. Aiming to become Führer-President and investigating Hoseok’s death are both my will as an individual.” He starts walking away, but looks back at Taehyung when he doesn’t follow. “Our target is the military leadership. You’re coming with me, right?”

“Like I’ll back down now.”

_Hoseok, what have you found out?_


End file.
